


To Become A Stray

by Malfoy_Lupin



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Extremely Dubious Consent, Lots of Sex, M/M, Multi, Threesome - M/M/M, power struggles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-29
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-08-18 10:47:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8159435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malfoy_Lupin/pseuds/Malfoy_Lupin
Summary: “I am Kylo Ren. Ben Solo is dead.” Ren paced around the room for a moment before speaking again, “You know you fight in vain, pilot?”
  
  “I don’t. I’ll continue to fight, we all will, until you’re finished.”
  
  A sound that was almost like a laugh came out from behind the mask. “Well, you won’t be doing much fighting. You’re not leaving.”
  
  “Are you going to kill me?”
  
  “Oh no,” Ren said, his voice silky and low. “I’m just going to make sure that you don’t get into any more trouble.”

 
When Poe Dameron finds himself face to face with Kylo Ren, all he can hope for is he'll succeed in getting Ben Solo back, but a LOT of things have changed. Soon Poe finds himself a prisoner, though eventually it's not against his will. Ben's relationship with Hux is intriguing, and although Hux tries to make it clear that Poe is no longer welcome in Ben's life, Poe makes his way in there in an interesting way...





	1. Equal and Opposite Forces

**Author's Note:**

> The idea of writing a Kypux fic was just waaaay too tempting :) Let's see what trouble Poe can get up to, eh? Thank you for stopping by and reading, comments are everything <3

# Chapter One

### Equal and Opposite Forces

Poe shouldn’t have been surprised. He really, really shouldn’t have—he knew better than that, knew Ben was no longer Ben anymore—but he was. Seeing Ben throw out his hand and stop his shot in midair, while barely even focusing on him was unreal. It had shaken Poe to the core. I’m in trouble… he’d thought, and continued thinking it when he was dragged by some miraculous force over to Ben and forced to his knees.  


Now, this wasn’t the first time he found himself on his knees before Ben Solo, but that reality was so far away now, he wasn’t even sure it existed. The masked man bent down to face him, and his voice was so…inhuman. Poe, though not daring to show it, was terrified and heartbroken.  


Now he was his prisoner—this stranger Kylo Ren’s prisoner, and if he needed any indication that this man was not Ben Solo, it was the torture he’d just been put through. His head felt heavy as he leaned it back on the platform, the inside thrumming painfully. Blood ran down his lower lip, but didn’t seem to stop no matter how much he sucked on it.  


“Ben…please, _stop._ ” He was barely able to catch his breath before Ren started again, holding up a hand and invading Poe’s mind. He screamed out, trying desperately to block out Ren’s influence. He was after the map, he knew, and although he didn’t know details, he didn’t want to lead Ren right to BB8, hopefully still safe on Jakku.  


It was too late though, Ren had seen and he knew it. The grip on him released and Poe would have collapsed if he wasn’t tied down. Ren straightened up, towering over Poe terrifyingly.  


“Ben Solo is _dead._ You should learn that.”  


“He isn’t,” Poe said, though he had every bit of evidence to the contrary. “This isn’t you.” His head cracked against the metal hard with just a flip of Ren’s hand.  


“I am Kylo Ren. Ben Solo is dead.” Ren paced around the room for a moment before speaking again, “You know you fight in vain, pilot?”  


“I don’t. I’ll continue to fight, we all will, until you’re finished.”  


A sound that was almost like a laugh came out from behind the mask. “Well, you won’t be doing much fighting. You’re not leaving.”  


“Are you going to kill me?”  


“Oh no,” Ren said, his voice silky and low. “I’m just going to make sure that you don’t get into any more trouble.”

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Poe assumed he was going to find out what Ren meant by that when the stormtrooper came in and ordered him be released so he could be taken to Ren, but he was wrong. Instead, he found his chance.  


Not that it ended very well.  


He woke up in the middle of the night, completely disoriented. He’d looked around, screamed for Finn, screamed for BB8, but no one had answered. The ones that did eventually come across him, however, weren’t people he’d really wanted to see. These stormtroopers weren’t rebels like Finn, they followed orders and they brought him right back to the ship he’d successfully escaped from.  


This time he was more nervous to see Ben. He’d been cruel before, and now Poe had probably made him angry. He was sure he’d face another punishment. The stormtroopers brought him into one of the many empty rooms on the ship, and promptly left, shutting the door. Poe wasn’t tied up, but he realized he didn’t have to be, Ren was on the exact opposite side of the room. There was no use in running, not anymore. Ren knew better now.  


“Did you really think you could get away from me?” Ren’s voice was low, deadly. Poe didn’t answer. He shifted, swallowed, tried to find words. “Did you?!” Ren thrusted his hand out and Poe is pulled right to it, Ren’s fingers wrapping around his throat. Poe gasped and Ren continued to squeeze. He couldn’t see it, but he could feel Ren’s glare through the mask he was wearing.  


“Don’t you _ever_ leave me again.”  


Poe was thrown by the words, and for a second he forgot to fight back. He found his vision blurry and it almost went out entirely before Ren let go of him, and he crumpled to the floor to catch his breath.  


As soon as he could breathe normally, Ren pulled him up by the arm and led him out into the hall. He was brought down onto lower floors of the ship, and shoved into a white room with a single glass wall at the front. He stumbled in and looked up at Ren, who said nothing but, “Stay,” and then shut the door. 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

_Don’t you ever leave me again!_ The words echoed in Poe’s head, but not in the same voice as minutes ago. This voice was younger, friendlier, more worried.  


It came from a young Ben Solo grasping onto Poe Dameron’s body in a tight hug, burying his face into his neck. Poe had just started going on flights by himself, and midflight on the return home an engine had failed and he almost didn’t make it back to the ground. He’d only been gone about two days, but the drama on his way home had made it feel even longer.  


He’d barely gotten out of his craft before Ben was on him, holding him and kissing him and scolding him for choosing such a stupid career path.  


“I won’t,” he’d promised Ben back then as he wrapped his arms around him.  


Poe didn’t say it out loud this time. He even tried to stop himself from thinking it, knowing it was a stupid thought. He knew Ren would do everything in his power now to make sure Poe didn’t leave him. Poe had dreamt of that, but now that he had it, he wasn’t sure if it compared to how he’d imagined it. He wanted it to be more…affectionate? But with Ben gone, that wasn’t going to happen. He was a prisoner now for the second time, and he was sure his chances of succeeding two for two were slim.  


Poe sighed and shifted to lean his back against one of the walls. As he did so, his gaze locked on the figure at the glass door. He was dressed completely in black, hands behind his back, chest out, red hair just visible underneath the cap he wore. He was glaring at Poe, his gaze unyielding, as though he wished lasers would jet out from his eyes and tear right through Poe’s chest. The man said nothing to Poe, just simply turned on his heel and disappeared around the corner.


	2. The Past and The Present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe gets a visit from his favorite General...twice. And once from his least favorite ex-boyfriend. All three times he has trouble controlling his mouth, and it's possible it gets used for other things...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for chapter two! Wherein Poe gets in all kinds of trouble. Definite Dubious Consent here, and border-lining nonconsent/rape that turns into a form of enjoyment toward the end.

### The Past and The Present

Poe woke up dazed and sore. He uncurled himself from his position on the floor in the corner of the room and winced. His neck was most definitely bruised and his mind probably was too, not just from his crash, but from Ben’s invasion as well. He stretched as best as he could without injuring himself and looked around. 

The hall outside was dark, but there was no way to tell what time it was in here, so Poe had no idea if it was dark because people were asleep, or simply because he was in a prison and no one needed to come down here anyway. 

He hoped against hope that they hadn’t gotten Finn as well, or BB8. His droid was smart, it’d know how to avoid getting captured, but Poe hoped BB8 wouldn’t hold it against him for getting captured _twice._ He needed to get back to him, the longer his droid was out there by itself, the more likely it was that it’d be captured by the wrong people. He’d promised Leia that no one would get that map, and Poe thought he was doing an outstandingly terrible job. The general probably wouldn’t trust him to do _anything_ if he made it out of here alive. 

That thought made Poe pause. Ben had said he wouldn’t kill him, but he was sure there were many people on this ship that wanted him dead. What did “making sure he didn’t get into trouble” mean exactly? Poe wasn’t sure he wanted to know. Maybe this? Was this just his fate forever? A white room with a single glass wall and no company? Honestly, he’d prefer to be dead. 

He had a feeling that Ren wouldn’t give him that option, though. It was too easy. Poe so wanted Ben back, and Ren knew it. It’d be too easy to let Poe go with his own memories of how things used to be. No, it was much worse being alive and seeing how far gone his love was. 

The lights in the hall flickered on and Poe straightened up, alert. The man at the door was the same one as earlier. He still wore that hateful expression. In tow was a stormtrooper, who he gave orders to, and then the door opened. The trooper walked in, setting down a tray of food in front of Poe before turning around and leaving. The man at the door nodded at his soldier before turning his attention back to Poe. There was a long silence, and it took everything in Poe not to break it first (he really needed to work on that). 

“Welcome to your new home,” the man said in a tone that was anything less than welcoming. His expression was hard, and Poe couldn’t help but wonder if he was like this all the time, or if he just hated Poe because he was from the Resistance. 

“Thank you,” Poe replied dully, and pointed to the tray. “Did you make this yourself? Or was it your other guy? Do you guys even make your own food? How does this work?”

The man shook his head. “No, I didn’t make it for you, and you best hope I never do. Ren wouldn’t be pleased with the outcome of that.”

“Is that your job? To please Ben?”

The man’s jaw clenched. “ _Ren._ And no, it’s not. I run this ship, though many make the mistake of thinking otherwise.”

“Oh…right, so you are…?”

“General Hux.”

“Ah, of course. Right. Can’t think of why I didn’t know that…” Poe shook his head, trying to put on a show of really thinking about that. 

“If I were you, I’d mind your attitude, pilot.”

“Why’s that? Ben already told me he’s not going to kill me.”

“ _Ren,_ ” he corrected again, and Poe could see a fist clench. “There are worse things than death. Just because Ren isn’t killing you, doesn’t mean he’s done with you. We still want that map, and we’re going to get it. Meanwhile, you can certainly give us information about where your base is.”

Poe actually laughed at that, shaking his head. “Do you really think you’re going to get that from me? General, if I was going to give up any information, I probably would have already. Ben had to force information out of my mind to get anything. _Your_ tactics, at least I’m assuming they were yours because they weren’t not force related, didn’t work.”

“I can always get Ren to do it again.”

“Eh, you could. But then he could have taken any other information earlier when he did it the first time.”

Hux crossed the room, the complete essence of a soldier. He walked in straight, even lines, steps identical, and bent at the waist to look at Poe. “You may think you’re alive because of Ren’s attachment to you, I can assure you that’s not it. You’re alive for information only. Once we get that from you, there’s no use in keeping you around. Ben does not exist anymore, and you are not Ren’s, and Ren is not yours.” A flush crept into Hux’s cheeks, highlighting the freckles spread across the area. His eyes bore into Poe’s and it clicked. 

“So then tell me, General, is he yours?”

Hux whipped out a hand and cracked it against Poe’s cheek so quickly that Poe wasn’t even sure it actually happened. Then the man stepped back, straightened out and kept his distance across the room. 

“Where is your base?”

“As if I’ll tell you. Tell Ben he’ll have to kill me first.”

Hux rolled his eyes. “Where is your base?”

Poe shrugged, reaching out for the tray and pulling it onto his lap. It hurt to swallow, but the water was refreshing anyway, and he drank the entire glass in a single moment. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s here, maybe it’s on Jakku. General Organa just doesn’t tell me these kinds of things.” He glanced up and could see Hux shift his weight on his feet. There was something so satisfying about getting under his skin that Poe had to remind himself to keep his smirk in check. 

“I don’t have time for these kinds of games.”

“What kind of games do you have time for then?” Poe asked, lifting his head and tilting it to the side like some kind of puppy.

Hux gave him a look of disgust. “None.”

Poe gave a frown, “Well that doesn’t sound like that much fun. Ben used to love playing games with me. There was one time—”

 _“Where is your base?!”_ Hux was losing his cool now, and Poe simply laughed and leaned back against the wall.

“Oh, General, you’re going to have to try a lot harder than that.”

\--

Ren came in later. Poe expected him to come in with Hux in tow, but he was alone. 

“I heard you gave General Hux a hard time.”

“You could say that,” Poe said. He was more on edge with Ren in the room, unsure if this encounter was going to be like the last ones. “Are you here to do what he failed to?”

“I’m not sure I know what you mean.” Ren didn’t move from his place by the door.

“I’m not telling you where the base is,” Poe said matter-of-factly. “Not unless you decide you’re coming home with me.”

“Is that so?” Ren asked and, with what sounded like a sigh, his mask opened and he lifted it off of his head. 

It was like being tortured all over again. Except this time, it was worse. It took everything in Poe not to cry out at the familiar face before him. It’s not him… he tried to reason with himself, but he so badly wanted to believe it was. His hair was longer now, but it still looked as silky as ever. His eyes were dark, and Poe could remember when it was so easy to look into them and see a whole world in their depths. Now, it was terrifying. The world he might see if he did was one that could hurt, could kill. Poe remembered clumsily kissing that nose when he was fifteen, and the way those full lips felt against his own, against his stomach… He swallowed hard. 

“Ben…”

The perfect, familiar face turned to anger now. “No. Not anymore!” Poe flinched as Ren raised a hand, scared of an assault of some kind, either mentally or physically. “What don’t you get, Dameron! Your past is gone! It doesn’t exist anymore. I killed Ben Solo.” He crossed the room to Poe, kneeling down in front of him. He held up his hand again, slowly this time, and Poe watched it carefully. Something rippled in the air and a million images flashed across Poe’s mind. He could see his eight-year-old self crying in Ben’s arms, their first fumbling kiss together, their goodbyes when Ben left, their first fumbling fuck, he could see himself desperately trying to find out any information about Ben after he’d heard the events of what’d happened with the students and Luke Skywalker, he saw his meeting with General Organa where she asked him to go to Jakku and _maintain the mission, always_. He snapped back to reality, gaze meeting the dark one just inches from him. The hand was warm against his cheek now, and Poe couldn’t help but lean into it. 

“You think I’m still him.” Ren’s voice was the softest it’d ever been since he’d arrived. 

Poe closed his eyes and shook his head. “I don’t. I just know you’re in there somewhere. The real you. I want him back. I don’t love you like this.”

“You could.”

Poe opened his eyes, and the meaning behind Ren’s seemed so sincere, but Poe wasn’t sure if he should trust it. He shook his head. “I don’t want to. I want the old you, Ben.”

“You can’t have the old me. It’s Ren now. Just say it.” He touched Poe’s chest, holding it over the increasingly steady thump of Poe’s heart for a moment before sliding it down his torso. “We could be happy together. Give up on the Resistance. You’re fighting a losing battle. I’ll help you, Poe…” His palm brushed up between Poe’s legs and Poe had to fight against the gasp that threatened and his body’s response. He was too used to Ben’s hands, Ben’s voice, it was automatic. He cursed himself, trying to think it away, to get the blood to run anywhere but down to his crotch. It didn’t slip by Ren and he smirked, repeating the movement. 

“See? You know it can be just as good. Just accept me for who I am now.”

“I…” Poe couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak. He tried to shift away from Ben, but the wall behind him prevented that. “I can’t…”

“Yes. You can.” Ren’s lips were against his cheek now, and his hot breath made Poe’s cheeks flush. His skin prickled and he was freezing, but where Ren touched him was on fire. Maybe he could let himself indulge… “I told you.” It was a whispered chuckle against his ear and Poe shook himself back to awareness, trying to push against Ren’s strong shoulders. He needed to breathe, he needed to clear his mind so he could function properly. 

“No, Ben.”

There was a growl and within a single movement, Poe found himself flat on the ground, Ren’s weight crushing into him. He held Poe’s wrists with one hand, his hips pressing down and grinding roughly into Poe’s. “It’s Ren! Say it, and I’ll go.”

Ren still knew how to work him, knew just how to grind his hips against Poe to elicit the desired response. Poe almost said it, just to get him to stop, but he realized that’d be giving in, giving up on getting Ben back. As soon as he said it, he knew he’d lose him forever. Besides…his throbbing length was begging for release now, Ren might not let him finish if he said something. Desperate, Poe tugged on Ren’s shirt, tugging him straight down for a kiss. Ren indulged him, and for a moment, Poe could lose himself in it. He could pretend this was just like old times, when there was no war, when they weren’t on different sides. He had Ben in his arms, and he knew how to bite at his lip and tangle his fingers in his hair just the right way. Poe was rutting up against Ren’s hips, the friction between the two of them building, until they both cried out and tumbled over the edge together. 

Lost in his own fantasy, Poe gave a murmured whine of, “Ben.”

“Hmm?” was the response, and Poe opened his eyes to respond. When Ren looked at him though, he seemed to crash right into reality along with Poe. His lips parted, and then his jaw clenched, and he crushed Poe’s wrists between his fingers hard enough to nearly break them. “No.” 

Poe was left cold as Ren got up, putting himself back together. His movements were frantic, as though he needed to get out of the room as quickly as possible. His lip was bruised and swollen, and he reached for his mask to cover it up.

“You’ll learn soon, pilot.” 

Poe didn’t ask what, but convinced himself that whatever it was, he’d resist. He was right, Ben was inside that man somehow. All he needed to do was figure out how to pull him back out. 

\--

Ren was swift in his return to his own room. He was shaking and oddly satisfied. It bothered him. He’d felt it again…for some reason Poe had been able to bring it out of him. He’d crushed that entire part of himself, how could this one man have such an influence over all of the strength he’d been working to gain so this wouldn’t happen? He’d need to spend more time with Snoke. 

He pressed his hand against the panel on the wall and the door to the left opened moments later. The lights were already on as he crossed the threshold, setting his mask aside and tossing his cloak over the chair in the corner, and he knew why. General Hux sat perched on the edge of the bed, all angles and authority, even when his hand reached out behind him to support his weight. 

“Did you find anything out?”

“No,” was his answer—brief, to the point—he didn’t want to talk about it much. 

“Why not?” Hux straightened up again, a crease forming between his brows. “It should be easy for you. It’s not like he’s that strong.” Hux scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Once I get that droid, maybe he’ll be telling a different story.”

“He was strong enough to resist your attempts, wasn’t he?” Ren threw right back at him. He turned his back to Hux, rubbing his hands together to relieve some of the tension that was building up inside him.

“Why are you defending him?” Ren could hear the bed shift as Hux stood up. He was over to him in an instant, grabbing Ren’s chin between his fingers and turning his face to his own.

“I am not defending him,” he replied, throwing a glare at Hux. 

“Then what is it, Ren?” He paused, looking over Ren’s face, and shook his head. “Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts. Is Ben Solo coming out again? Please…Should I go tell Snoke about it? How you can’t focus because someone from your past is here and you can’t handle it? Should I—”

“Enough!” He brushed Hux’s hand from his face and grabbed a hold of his collar. “Don’t you dare. He means nothing to me. None of them have meant anything to me for a long time. If you want this to work, you’re supposed to trust me.”

Hux said nothing at first, just let him speak and then let the silence rest, before a small smile graced his mouth. “Much better.” He patted Ren’s hand and then leaned up to kiss him. “We’ve worked too hard for you to lose your path now, and I will not have you ruining this for either of us.”

“You don’t have enough faith in me, General,” Ren pointed out, but gave in and smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll get him next time. Meanwhile, how are we on finding the droid?”

“In progress.” Hux tended to speak like this, his responses to progress on missions like reading a report on it. “In progress”, “Pending”, “Awaiting results”, the like. It annoyed Ren to no end when he’d first met him, but now he was so used to it, he liked the clear cut approach regarding an update. 

“Good.”

“I know. Now…” Hux’s hands drifted down and then back up under the material of his shirt, cold fingers against his hot torso. Ren flinched backward.

“No. Not now.”

“Not now?” Hux raised a suspicious eyebrow at him. “Really…?”

“Yes. That’s what I just said.” He straightened himself out, images of Poe flashing across his mind. He shook his head in an attempt to physically get them out of his head. He suddenly felt like he needed to be alone. That weight was crushing his sternum again, his lungs constricting. 

“Why not?” He’d never refused Hux before, at least not since they’d made it a habit, and he knew Hux had a right to wonder. Hux wasn’t hurt, they weren’t like that (at least not out loud), but Ren was doing an awful job at maintaining the secret of what had just happened between him and Poe. 

“Doesn’t matter. Leave, please.”

“Leave? You must be joking! What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“None of your business, now get yourself out of my room!” 

Hux knew when it was enough, and Ren was crossing the line into hysteria. So he crossed the room to the doorway, muttering to himself loud enough so Ren could hear. He could never leave well enough alone. “Huh. Sure. Perhaps I shouldn’t be trusting you, perhaps I will go to Snoke with this. You’re losing your goddamn mind!”

The last sound was the door closing and then it was finally, thankfully, silent. Ren peeled off every layer of clothing, throwing it into the shoot to get cleaned, and headed right for the shower. Amongst the steam and the hot water, he finally felt calm enough to breathe, though he could still feel the slight stirrings of dread in the bottom of his stomach. He’d let himself go completely with Poe, and he couldn’t allow it to happen again. He couldn’t—wouldn’t—let himself be weak. He’d worked too hard for that. Part of him resented Poe for that, how easily it had been to strip him of his current identity and bring him back to being his weak, pathetic, Ben Solo self. Another part, a smaller part that he worked to suppress, was thrilled. 

That isn’t how it works now, he reminded himself. Poe Dameron was in the past, his feelings for that man were that of a boy, and they’d died with Ben Solo as well. He had his power, his General, he didn’t need anything else (except for that damn droid and the map). 

_“I’m stronger than this, I am stronger than this, I am stronger than this,”_ he whispered to himself, eyes closed, as the water ran over his face and his chest. _“I am Kylo Ren, I am Kylo Ren, I am Kylo Ren.”_ He’d said these things to himself before, when he’d first left everything behind, but he’d finally gotten to a point where he did remember the words, and no longer needed to say them. He’d slipped up, but saying them now, he’d remember again, and he’d be stronger next time. He wouldn’t ruin this. 

\--

What was it about him? What could possibly be the draw to such a man? He was foul mouthed and unprofessional and _everything that Hux wasn’t._ It was infuriating. Hux paced through one of the hallways, restless and needing to do _something,_ he just wasn’t sure _what._

He’d never been refused by Ren before. Not officially, not for real. They’d played these games in the beginning, but now it was different. Now they had something established, and it unsettled Hux that it was being interrupted. Ren had seemed completely off the handle back in his bedroom. Something was bothering him—well, something always was bothering him, but this was different. It felt different. Ren seemed very close to losing his grip. What had the pilot done to him? Making a decision, he turned down a nearby corridor and headed downstairs for the second time that day. 

The pilot was still in his cell, not that Hux would have doubted that, but he was standing up this time, instead of on the floor. Hux couldn’t help it, just the sight of this man made something inside him bubble with rage. Their conversation from earlier played back in his mind—the man clearly had no respect for authority, especially in a situation where he could be killed at any time, it was ridiculous. He entered the code for the door and pushed it open. 

“Hello again,” he greeted, trying to maintain his composure as best as he could. 

“You’re back,” he was answered with. 

“I am indeed.” The man before him gave a silent nod and took a few steps around the room. He made a face of discomfort and then looked up at Hux again. 

“Um, quick question, any idea if I can get a shower at any point?”

That made Hux pause. For some reason he hadn’t given that much thought, and it seemed like such a strange question to ask for a prisoner. “I…suppose so. I’ll have someone fetch you in the morning.”

“I’d really prefer it now.”

“Why?” A brow quirked up.

“Does it matter?” The pilot’s tone was annoyed now. 

“It does if it’s so desperate to not be able to wait until the morning.”

The pilot opened his mouth to say something, but shook his head finally. “Nothing. I’ll wait. Maker forbid I get shower after Ben—”

“After Ren what?” he interjected immediately, stiffening even further if that were possible. 

Poe paused with his lips parted, and after a moment the corners of his mouth pulled up into a smile and he shook his head. “Nothing. Doesn’t matter.” He waved off Hux, which made him growl, and in the next moment he was crossing the room to Poe again. That rage he had tried so hard to keep under wraps burst out. He took Poe with two hands and pushed him roughly against the nearest wall. 

“Ren what? He _what? What?!”_ He was so close he could feel the pilot’s breath against his face, could feel his beating heart, and it took everything in him to not slap him again like earlier.

“Someone’s got jealousy issues…” Poe’s voice was soft and a little ragged as Hux’s forearm pressed into the base of his throat.

“No! I swear to you, pilot, if it was up to me, you’d be dead already. We should have your beloved droid soon and then we’ll get all the information we need. You will not ruin this. I don’t care how strong you think you are. Ren is not yours!”

Poe threw a glare right back at him, digging his nails into Hux’s arm. “He was mine _first!”_

“Give it up! The weak man you loved is gone!”

“Never!” The pressure increased against Poe’s throat and in an effort to relieve it, Poe threw his head forward and a loud _crack!_ followed. The two men staggered, Hux pressing a palm to his forehead and Poe catching himself against the wall. 

Hux straightened up and his jaw tightened, a darkness flickering across his eyes. “I guarantee you’ll live to regret that.” His voice deepened a few levels and seeing the pilot pause for a moment gave him a sense of satisfaction. Oh, this wasn’t even close to being over. He tugged on each finger of the glove he wore and tugged it off, repeating the process on the other hand. He folded them together and gently tossed them into a corner by the door, his jacket following. Then he strode right over to Poe, wound up, and released. 

Poe’s lip split open again and he reached a hand out to catch himself on the wall, knowing once he went down, it’d be all over. He wiped his lip, spitting blood onto the white floor and launched himself at Hux. 

The two struggled, some blows landing, some not, but all the while they maintained a grip on each other, as if they were trying to strangle the other without wrapping their hands around their necks. Poe had to admit, the General was a fair match, though he hadn’t expected it by looking at him. He was about to comment on it when a swift blow to the stomach caused him to hunch forward, lose his balance and land on his back on the floor. In the next moment, Hux was straddling him, getting in another hit before a hand found his throat again. 

“All this over Ben?” Poe asked breathlessly, desperately trying to keep Hux’s grip loose enough to continue breathing. “Your insecurity is showing…” The pressure increased and he could feel the heat begin to rise in his cheeks. He lifted his leg, trying to get some leverage over Hux, try to get on top, get the upper hand. “He won’t like it if you kill me…” he struggled to whisper. Poe reached up to tangle a hand in Hux’s shirt, trying anything to distract him or open up a moment to gain power back over himself. Hux’s eyes were wild, sweat and blood mixing at his hairline, and he leaned in close to Poe.

“He won’t. But I will.” His words were breathy against Poe’s face and they were full of a real threat, but in the next moment, and Poe wasn’t sure exactly how the hell it fucking happened, but his mouth was on Hux’s and Hux’s mouth was on his.

The kiss tasted salty and coppery from sweat and blood mixing together on their lips, and there was a sting of pain a moment later when Hux bit too hard on his lip. The pressure released from his throat, and Poe tugged harder on the material he had fisted in his hand. Two hands found Poe’s wrists and jammed them hard into the floor below. Poe opened his eyes to see Hux above him, and pressed his lips tightly together as Hux’s hips pressed into his own, two straining bulges meeting where they hadn’t earlier. 

“So you think your Ren’s, huh?” Hux asked, blond eyebrows raising. “Well, Ren and I share everything, so what’s ultimately his is also _mine._ ” He released one of his hands from Poe’s wrists to press against the bulge between his legs. “How does that sound?”

“Never.” Poe struggled against Hux, and he did almost make it this time, but Hux caught him, pressing his hip firmly back down. 

“I don’t think so, pilot.” He grabbed Poe’s chin and smiled down at him. “You’ll be a good boy for me, right?” An index finger ran down his cheek and Poe turned his face away from it. “Good. This is much better than throwing punches, isn’t it?” Hux sat up and worked open Poe’s pants, laughing to himself and shaking his head. “Can see why you’d want the shower…Pathetic.”

Poe shot up, but Hux caught his wrist. “Uh-uh. Don’t think so. We just figured out who’s the stronger one here. Do you really want to embarrass yourself twice?”

“Get your hands off of me.”

Hux didn’t answer, just forced him back down to the floor. _Fuck,_ he thought, and squeezed his eyes closed, tensing up as he felt the sensations of pleasure flit through him as Hux began to stroke his length. “For a member of the resistance…you’re not doing very well. If I’d have known this was the key to your undoing, I would have tried it first.”

“Fuck off.” It was more breathless than he’d wanted it to sound. Damn it. Hux’s laugh was the only response he got. 

Poe honestly wished Hux had killed him moments ago. The fact that his body was actually responding to him was so much worse than any torture he’d been through. The fuck was wrong with him? Both of them were beaten and bloody on the floor and his length was just begging to be used and find release. There was a ruffle of fabric and Poe’s ass hit the cold floor. 

“Get up and come here.” Poe assumed that was the same tone he used with his soldiers. Reluctantly, Poe got up onto his knees and, noticing that Hux was now standing, threw him a glare. “I can see why Ren liked you. You’re much more attractive when following orders.” Hux had his own length in hand, the other hand tangling in Poe’s curls and tugging hard (Poe really had to make sure he didn’t groan, he didn’t want to give Hux the satisfaction). Poe tried to resist, really tried, but found his lips parting to accept the length into his mouth. His head swirled with a mix of emotions; he felt dizzy. Here he was, sucking off the general of the First Order—someone who’d had involvement in the murder of hundreds of people—and he hated himself for it, but there was also a thrill running through his veins that he couldn’t ignore—he hated himself for that, too. 

This was the first time Poe had seen Hux pleased in a non-vindictive kind of way. His eyes slipped closed and there was a ghost of a real smile on his lips. His grip in Poe’s hair tightened and his head fell back for a few moments. When he opened his eyes and looked down at Poe, the usual smirk came back. “You’re enjoying this, hm? Good. I knew you were weak. I’ll make you the First Order’s bitch. Ren will love it. Might as well use you for something if you won’t give up any information.” He held Poe close, and Poe had to fight against the tears in his eyes. He refused to let Hux comment on what he could take; he’d dated _Ben_ for years for Maker’s sake, but it had been a while. Hux swore, and spilled into Poe’s mouth without warning, forcing him to take it all. 

He swallowed and Hux finally released him, stepping back. Poe scrambled backward, wiping at his mouth, trying to really justify what he’d just done. He wasn’t sure he could come up with a good enough answer. 

“Get dressed and come with me,” Hux said, already put back together as if nothing had happened, reaching for his jacket and gloves. “We’ll get you that shower, and maybe you can take care of yourself…”

Poe glanced down at his still fully-erect length and bit hard on the inside of his cheek. It’d take him two seconds to just finish himself off now, but the idea of doing it in front of Hux like a desperate, deprived toy turned him off. He’d deal with the discomfort for now. 

When he finally got himself together, Hux left without another word, simply a swooping gesture of a hand to signal that Poe should follow. Poe glanced around the cell, he could probably just stay here, he wasn’t sure he wanted to be around General Hux any longer, but another night on the floor without a shower…he really didn’t have a choice but to follow, did he?


	3. Is Hell The New Reality?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe finds himself facing the hardest battle he's had yet to face. New sleeping arrangements are made, and a death of a certain someone is plotted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY this took FOREVER to get together. This chapter was being very stubborn and then real life BS like essays and stuff were due. Ew. But here it is! :) Thank you for those who have been reading, kudo'ing, and commenting!

### Is Hell The New Reality?

He was led up several floors, before reaching a quieter hallway. Hux pressed his hand to the panel to the left of the door and it opened. God, he hoped this wasn’t actually the General’s room…

They walked in and immediately Poe realized it wasn’t. Oh no. It was much _much_ worse. The discarded helmet sat on what could be called an altar, by the door, and the lightsaber was placed on a side table just nearby. Hux really couldn’t have just taken him to a community shower of some kind? There had to be one for the stormtroopers, right? He just _had_ to bring him to Ben’s room. Right. Of course. Cause this was the most painful way. Why would Hux make it easy on him?

“Ren, are you here?”

“One second!” Ren called back, and then there was a shuffling and then he appeared moments later. He looked so much like Ben. His normal cloak was off, his hair was damp, curling slightly as it air-dried, and he wore a loose shirt and pants, his feet were bare. Poe actually almost let himself throw up right then and there. He was already filthy and about to get a shower, what difference would the contents of his stomach make all over him?

“What is he doing here?” Ren’s tone was dark, his eyes scanning Hux’s face for an explanation. 

Hux shrugged and folded his arms across his chest. “He needed a shower. I thought up here was as good a place as any, seeing as you’re the one who caused the mess.” Ren’s jaw tightened and his gaze turned to Poe, threatening and accusatory. “Oh please. It would have come out anyway, Ren, stop acting like you have no idea. Besides, I get it. That mouth of his is gorgeous.” Ren’s expression changed completely, lips parting, brow relaxing, as he looked back to Hux. Hux only gave him a smile and shrugged. Ren shook his head, licking his lips and generally gesturing over to the right. 

“Bathroom’s that way.”

Poe only hesitated for half a second, glancing between the two men before taking his chance and fleeing to the bathroom. 

\--

“Did you really?” Ren asked as soon as Poe as out of sight.

“Maybe. Does it matter?” Hux answered. 

“Yes. It does.”

“Why? It’s okay for you? I thought we shared.” He gave Ren that smile that made him want to punch a fucking wall. He was such a shit. 

“Not with that.”

Hux rolled his eyes and moved forward until he was inches away from Ren. Ren hated that even when he was mad, Hux’s proximity always affected how long that anger lasted. “Think about it. We still need information. He’s not going to give up any of it willingly…but he might, if we convince him.”

Ren raised an eyebrow. “What are you suggesting?”

“Maybe we can get him to work for us. On our terms.”

“He’d never turn against the Resistance.”

“ _You_ can make him though. I think you underestimate how much he wants you. You can make him change.”

“He’ll know,” Ren stated firmly. “He’s very close to Leia. His life is the Resistance. His loyalty is strong. You know that. How are you going to get him to side with us?”

“The same way you do with any soldier.” A smirk crept up on Hux’s face, eyes sparkling with something that Ren knew couldn’t be good. “You train him.”

\--

The shower was _amazing_. There was a separate steam system and there was a rain shower head, all controlled by a panel against the far wall. Poe turned them both on, turning the water on as hot as he could handle. He simply stood under it for the first few minutes, letting it give him the illusion of being disinfected. He also refused to touch himself until he knew he had a handle on himself. He refused to let them control him…or let them influence his loss of control. 

Once he had a handle on himself, he reached for the shelf that had an entire range of bottles of different sizes, though the labels were all the same. He didn’t recognize them, but he couldn’t care right now. As long as they got him clean. They smelled nice, a little bit of something sweet mixed with something a little harsher. He was glad it wasn’t the same stuff Ben used to use, Poe was sure he’d lose his mind if it were. As soon as the soap came in contact with his skin, Poe couldn’t help it, he scrubbed and scrubbed until his skin was raw and there were bright pink trails from his nails over his torso. Better. 

He really didn’t want to get out. In here it was nice, it was warm, and it was private. There was no Ben Solo or Kylo Ren in here. No General fucking Hux. It was just him and his misery and with the steam and the hot water, he was sure in time he could forget about all those things. But he didn’t have that time, for this was a bathroom that wasn’t his, and both Kylo Ren and General Hux lived on the other side of that metal door. Poe, albeit reluctantly, shut off the water and the steam, beginning to shiver as the heat dissipated. He stepped out, finding the towels folded behind the door of a cupboard under the sink. He wrapped the black material around himself, pressing his face into the ends of it before tying it around his waist. He grabbed another one, running it through his hair. 

The mirrors were covered in a coat of steam, but with one swipe of a hand he cleared enough to see. He flinched at the reflection staring back at him. He could already see the bruises starting to form. Regardless of how much he washed, those marks weren’t something that water and soap could fix. They’re just marks from battle, he told himself. They were. This was a battle. A different kind than what he was used to. His engine and his blasters couldn’t help him now; he’d have to use whatever tools were left at his disposal. It wasn’t going to be quick. It was going to be slow. But he had to fight it. Giving up wasn’t an option. Never was. 

And it was that that made him open the door and step back into reality. He didn’t care that his clothes were still in a pile on the floor behind him. He wasn’t putting them back on. Besides, one out of the two in this room already knew what he looked like without clothing, and the other one had just shoved his dick in his mouth. There really wasn’t anything to lose. 

“I must say, Pilot, I can’t tell if I like you better dirty or freshly clean.”

Hux and Ren were both sitting on the bed, facing the bathroom as if they had been waiting eagerly for him to emerge. Poe rolled his eyes. 

“Ben, do you have any extra—”

“Ren,” he corrected, before getting up and moving to the closet. “Call me that and you can have these.” He held up pants and shirt in his left hand. 

“No,” Poe responded stubbornly. He’d just have to keep the towel. The clothes will be way too big anyway, he reasoned with himself. 

“You sure? It gets pretty cold in here.” His eyes were challenging, but Poe, Maker help him, shook his head again. 

“Yeah. I’m sure.”

“Well then,” It was Hux who spoke this time, shrugging his shoulders with a smirk. “You can head to your new bed, then. I’m sure it’ll beat the cell downstairs.” Poe didn’t like the smile that was steadily spreading across Hux’s face, and when he looked, he realized why. 

Had he really been that long in the shower? How the hell did they have time to put it together? Did they just have it laying around? _What the fuck?_

Poe took a step closer to what looked like a _fucking dog cage_ , and for some reason found himself trying not to laugh. “You’re kidding right?” The whole thing was so ridiculous, so completely…awful, he could feel the rest of his dignity just melting away. 

“Nope.” Ren stood up, looking between Poe and the cage. “You didn’t think I was going to let you just roam around freely, did you? I know your games, I know your plans, Pilot. It’s not that easy.” 

Poe thought back to Ben’s words after he’d been recaptured. Don’t you ever leave me again! And his crushing grip earlier when he’d actually responded to the name Ben. Poe rubbed one of his wrists absentmindedly. Looked like they were both going to be their usual stubborn selves about this. 

“Of course not,” was all Poe could think of to say. He shook his head and stooped slightly to get inside the cage. The metal bars were thin and spread wide apart. It wasn’t anything to really keep someone in. Poe could break out of it rather easily if he tried. No, this was just purely for his humiliation and their enjoyment. He sat down, thankful for the towel at least, and shifted to the farthest corner of the cage. He glanced up at the two men staring down at him. 

“Well, damn. Doesn’t he look nice in there,” Hux purred, his smirk like oil as it passed across his features. He slipped an arm around Ren’s waist. “Very good call, Ren.”

“Told you,” Ren replied, though his eyes were on Poe. Poe couldn’t read them. There was something that was disconnected in his gaze that kept him just at bay. “Have a good night, Pilot. Hope you don’t regret your decision to refuse clothing.” Ren let himself smile at that, and turned to Hux. “Are you staying?”

“Yes.” Hux’s tone was softer now, his attention off their prisoner. Poe watched as he played with the collar of Ren’s shirt. “They won’t need me until after breakfast. So I’ll have some extra time in the morning.”

“Good.” God, Poe hated seeing Ren smile. He had to keep reminding himself it wasn’t _Ben_. Not yet. Not quite. He dropped his gaze as they kissed, wrapping his arms around his knees. 

Thankfully the spotlight was off him for the rest of the night. The lights dimmed and Hux and Ren got into bed and they were quiet. Poe spread out on his back. At least there was room enough to stretch out his legs. He’d be miserable otherwise. Hux was right. The carpet was a pretty big improvement from the cell he’d been in. They were also right about the cold. He draped the towel length-wise over himself, trying to will himself to fall asleep so he could stop thinking about how much he wanted a blanket. 

It was in the darkness that Poe let the tears come. He breathed slowly, he wouldn’t allow himself to wake them up, and he blinked, feeling the wet drops mark their way down his temples and into his scalp. He shook, but not from the cold this time, and wrapped his arms around himself—it was the only form of real comfort he could get right now. He felt open and raw and was filled with…regret? Possibly. Did he regret coming to save Ben? Not yet…but he regretted being here. Regretted letting Ben get away in the first place. Maybe if he had tried harder to get Ben to open up when he’d first noticed something was wrong, maybe if he hadn’t gotten so caught up in the academy, maybe…maybe…

That was the problem with maybes. They never stopped, and it was impossible to figure out the correct solution. One could beat himself up over and over again and a real answer would never appear. He let out an audible exhale, freezing for a moment to make sure he didn’t wake anyone up, before relaxing and wiping at his face. 

At some point in the night, he managed to fall asleep, his exhaustive thoughts fading away into the darkness as his mind found silence. He didn’t move the entire night, body too sore and tired to even try. 

The peace was so wonderful that Poe had forgotten to be mad when he woke up. For a few blissful seconds he was content, relaxed, and even a little bit warm. He stretched his arms over his head and was about to roll onto his stomach when something icy hit his back. 

He stiffened and shivered, reality crashing back onto him. His eyes slid open, taking in the dimness of the room. Right. He was here. As his senses caught up with him, he realized it wasn’t quite as quiet in the room as he’d originally thought. There was a shuffle of sheets, and a few whispers, and sounds of several kisses in quick succession. 

He couldn’t help himself. He lifted his head, looking over in the direction of the bed. There was a breathless moan followed by a toss back of the sheets, and Ben’s head, hair sticking up in all directions, revealed itself. He didn’t even look in Poe’s direction. Maybe they’d forgotten he was here. He hoped so, anyway. Hux revealed himself next as they shuffled around each other, Ben laying back down and Hux crawling on top of him. As he did so, his eyes traveled over to the end of the bed, over which he could see Poe. 

Poe glared at him immediately, and Hux’s eyes turned into slits, a smirk pulling across his face. He turned back to Ben, his next moan so obviously too loud on purpose. He turned his head to look back over his shoulder as he raised himself up and slid back down onto Ben’s length in a steady rhythm. Poe would kill this man one day. He promised himself right then and there that he would. Poe broke his gaze from the couple and turned over onto his side, pulling the towel up and covering his entire head. If he couldn’t see or couldn’t hear, then it wasn’t really happening, right?


	4. Tests of Will

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe gives a little, but still is determined to find out anything he can about BB-8 as he tries to figure out a plan, tensions are high (when aren't they?) between Ren and Hux, and Ren finds himself faced with a pull to a side he doesn't want to be on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to the very special KyluxTrashQueen! It's her birthday today and she's the one who made me get my ass in gear to finish this chapter to post today for her!

### Tests of Will

It was a good sign that he’d forgotten about his prisoner in the morning. It meant that his mantra had worked. Hux had already left, off on his responsibilities. The good thing about being Kylo Ren was that it meant he ran on his own schedule. Hux could take care of things on mornings he didn’t want to get up right away. He sat up and yawned, arms stretching over his head. He froze at the end of the yawn, gaze catching the cage at the end of his bed when he opened his eyes. Poe was curled up in his towel, sitting up in a corner. His eyes were closed, but it was clear he was uncomfortable. 

Guilt creeped into him. Unwelcome. It _was_ his idea to put him there. Specifically for this reason. If he could keep the pilot separate, keep Dameron away from him, somewhere where he couldn’t get to him (either way), Ren would be able to keep his strength and continue on his mission. He didn’t need to give Dameron an easy way to poke holes in his freshly built persona. 

He slumped off the bed and entered the bathroom. He washed quicker than normal; he wanted to get out there and find out the status on everything that was going on. He needed to know if they’d found that droid yet. A towel around his waist, he entered back into his room to dress. 

Poe was awake now. He was kneeling at the door of the cage, fingers sticking through the thin bars. Ren looked over at him, and then looked away. _Pathetic, weak, resistance…_ he reminded himself as he focused on the clothing he needed to pull on. He adjusted his gloves as a finishing touch, and was about to reach for the mask by the door when the pilot’s voice made him stop. 

“So am I just going to stay in here for the rest of my life?” He could hear how Dameron tried to make his voice sound bored. “It’s not very roomy. You know, I think I preferred the other cell, really.”

Ren whipped around to look at him. “You think I care what you prefer? You’ll stay in there for as long as I want you there.”

“Well then how about some actual clothing this time? Or food? I noticed your general wasn’t quite as generous as he was yesterday about bringing me something to eat.”

 _You train him._ Hux’s voice echoed in his mind, and he found a smirk pulling at his mouth. “Sure, clothing is fine.” He grabbed a pair of pants and shirt from the dresser drawer that was Hux’s. He walked over and knelt down by the cage. “I mean, there’s something rather satisfying about seeing you in there with nothing but a towel, but…” He shrugged, grinning at Poe’s eye roll. Poe reached up for the clothing, but Ren tugged it away. “You know what you’ll have to do for them.”

“Not going to happen.”

“Oh come on, Dameron. I know how stubborn you can be, and you know how stubborn _I_ can be. We can go forever like this. You can stay in here for the rest of this battle until we win, and then what will General Organa say? You were just too content to sit around on your ass and be a prisoner. Some member of the resistance you are.”

“She wouldn’t. She knows—” Dameron began fiercely, but Ren wouldn’t let him continue. 

“Does she? Maybe. Or maybe she’ll just think that you were too weak to complete whatever mission you’re on. That you weren’t strong enough to avoid your feelings for me. That maybe you joined me. If she doesn’t think that, there have to be some other ones that will. What would Darklighter say? Knowing his best friend is a traitor?”

“I am NOT a traitor!”

“That depends whose side you’re on.” Ren licked his lips. “Do you want them?”

Dameron’s lips twitched. There was determination behind his eyes, a struggle that raged between keeping his identity and the basic need for survival. Finally, his lips parted and he uttered, “Ren…please give me the clothing.” Ren could see the hate flash in his gaze, the disgust. He smiled in response. 

“Good job.” He clicked open the cage door and tossed the clothing inside. “You can head downstairs to eat when you’re ready, but don’t expect to find another FN-2187 around to help you. They’ve all been warned about what will happen if they do.” He took the pilot’s silence as understanding, so he turned, grabbed his helmet, and headed out the door. 

\--

“Ben. Ben. Ben. Ben. Ben. Ben. Ben,” Poe murmured to himself as he pulled on the clothing. They fit, but were a little long. They must have been the general’s. He _hated_ that. He buttoned the pants furiously and stuffed his feet into his own boots, which sat by the door of the bathroom. He couldn’t help the anger that continued to surge within him. It wasn’t even at Ben; it was at himself. Okay, maybe both, but he never thought of himself as someone who gave in easily, and this morning it felt too easy. He was too desperate. 

It was also pathetic how free he felt in a bedroom that wasn’t his own, just because he was free to walk around and he was alone. He moved into the bathroom to look at himself. The bruises and cuts continued to heal, making them look at a lot worse than they felt. The skin on his stomach and legs and arms wasn’t red anymore, the scratch marks barely there now. He wished the feeling of disgust would leave the same way. 

_Enough._

He flicked on the tap, splashing cold water onto his face. He had work to do. Although not completed in the fashion he wanted it to be, step one was done: he was out and had the freedom to move. Now it was time to figure out how to get Ben back and how to get out of here. Maybe not in that order. He still needed to figure out if BB8 was safe or not. Although he had a feeling he’d know already if BB8 was captured. Poe raised his gaze to the mirror. He could do this. 

He swept from the room. He was afraid if either of them came back while he was still here, he wouldn’t be able to leave. He glanced around the corridor. He had zero idea where anything was on this station. He’d only seen downstairs and the hangar he’d arrived in. Didn’t matter. If he stumbled on something he wasn’t supposed to be near, all the better, right? Any information was good information. 

He took a left, that was the direction he’d come from yesterday. There weren’t any sign posts anywhere as he explored the cruiser, so he had no way of knowing if he was closer or farther away from where he needed to be. Stormtroopers that passed said nothing to him, and he wasn’t about to strike up any conversations. A pair crossed in front of him from an adjacent hallway, and he decided to follow them, just to see where they’d lead him. It turned out to be the right decision. They led him right past the dining hall. It was spacious and spread out, the only colors it consisted of were gray and white. Despite the plain colors, this seemed to be the only space where professionalism and duty were on the back burner. Everyone who stood in line or were sitting at tables were laughing and chatting with each other, helmets set aside. It was weird, to see them acting like normal people. Poe knew they were, but it was easy to forget when they were in uniform and shooting at you. With a pang in the pit of his stomach, he thought back to Finn. He hadn’t seen him since seconds before the crash. He hoped he was okay. The last thing he wanted was to find him here again, he had a feeling Ben and the general wouldn’t let him survive for his actions. 

Poe kept his head down as he walked in, finding his way into the line. He shuffled along, grabbing a tray when it was time, and serving himself whatever it was that was in his reach. He wasn’t sure when he’d get his next meal. He turned, scanning over the room, praying for an empty table. There was one in the corner, and another empty half of a table near the center of the room. He slid into the seat at the very end of the table, setting his tray down and beginning to eat. He still didn’t look at anyone. After yesterday, he wasn’t in the mood to start any fights. He kept his eyes down on his plate, watching his fork and knife work through the meat. 

“I don’t know, man, but Mitaka is _screwed_ when he goes to tell Ren what happened.”

Poe paused, pretending to chew slowly as he focused his attention on the voices coming from his ten o’clock. 

“They stole a fucking ship.”

“Well, how did they even get it working? Aren’t things down there supposed to be pieces of—and who was that girl anyway?”

“No idea. But General Hux is _not_ happy about it. She got away with the droid and FN-2187.”

Poe closed his eyes and exhaled silently to himself, some of the tension in his shoulders releasing. Oh. Thank the Maker. BB8 was off somewhere else. With Finn. He couldn’t think of who the girl would be, there weren’t any other rebel fighters that should have been down there, but Poe hoped she was on their side. In a ship of some kind at least gave them a chance, instead of being grounded on a planet with nowhere to go. Maybe General Organa would send someone after him and they’d cross paths. After all, he hadn’t reported back to her yet. Anyone who knew him would know that was unusual. 

“They’re sending out scouts, and another fleet to go after them. See where they are headed.”

“Well that’s obvious, isn’t it?”

“Oh please, you think that droid is dumb enough to trust a traitor and some girl? We don’t even know if she’s part of the—hey, what are you looking at?”

He hadn’t realized he’d been staring, but called out now he realized that his knuckles were white around the handle of his fork and his eyes were boring right into the group at the other table. He cleared his throat. “Nothing.”

“You think I’m stupid? I see you trying to gain information about your precious droid. Well, guess what. It and Finn might have gotten on a ship, but they won’t last long. We’re after them and it won’t be long until we get them. So don’t you feel smug for a second.”

Poe’s gaze fell down to his plate again; half-eaten, and soon to be abandoned. No. This wasn’t Ren. What could this guy do to him? He whipped his head up again. “I’ll feel smug for as long as I want, because guess what, you didn’t succeed in getting my droid the first or second time, and something tells me third time isn’t the charm for you. The Resistance will always be ahead of you.” He stood then, left his food behind, and walked out. He knew what he needed to do. There wasn’t any use in sticking around. 

\--

The day couldn’t have gotten any worse. 

But of course, naturally, it did. 

He’d nearly squeezed the life out of Mitaka when he’d given the news of the droid getting away. How did he have such incompetent people working for him? Did he have to do everything himself? He was ready to. Although he chewed sharply on his cheek as he remembered his earlier argument with Hux. _“It would have been easier had you just let us destroy it and take it.”_ Ren knew why he wanted it back still in working order, but no one else had to know that. He still gave Hux as much shit as he could for not completing the task, however. _“A General with such skills as you claim to have should have been able to do it, and do it easily.”_

It took some serious self-control not to argue with him again as they waited in the chamber for Supreme Leader Snoke. Slowly the image of him flickered to life before them, the scale tremendous and intimidating. Ren could feel the drop in the bottom of his stomach. Regardless of if he felt the same way, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes as Hux threw himself at the mercy of Snoke, taking “full responsibility” for the incident with the droid. Could he a, have just swallowed his pride when Ren had spoken to him earlier, and b, grow a fucking spine at this current moment? As Hux was dismissed, Ren turned his head to look over at him. The glare Hux threw back him was filled with everything their relationship stood for: hate, an unending need to top the other at everything, and an insatiable desire. Ren’s muscles tensed in response to a shiver that threatened to shoot up and down his spine and give away his pretense completely. Hux broke the gaze a second later and was off. Snoke’s voice commanded his attention immediately. 

“There’s been an awakening. Have you felt it?” Ren gave a small nod. “There’s something more. The droid we seek is aboard the Millenium Falcon, in the hands of your father, Han Solo.”

He couldn’t stop the shiver this time. He was glad for the mask. Snoke couldn’t see how his lips twitched and his jaw tensed as he formed the words, “He means nothing to me.”

_Even you have never faced such a test._

The words echoed back to him hours later in his room. He had to keep getting up and walking around, wringing his hands together, running his fingers through his hair. It was ridiculous. Only children were this weak. He had bigger things to worry about and occupy his time. Damn it.

He stopped himself in the center of the room, closing his eyes and forcing a long inhale. He held it for a moment before exhaling in one swift breath. He needed to get himself together. He gazed over to the far side of the room, wherein rested the whole reason he was here. He stepped over to it, sitting down slowly. 

“Forgive me,” he begged desperately. “I feel it again. The call to the light. Supreme Leader senses it.” He’d always felt like he could see right through him, regardless of if he wasn’t actually in the room or not. Today was no exception. As he’d left the room, he’d felt as if he’d been stripped bare, his emotions exposed even though he did his best to not let them show. He cleared his throat, sitting up straighter. “Show me again the power of the darkness, and I will let nothing stand in our way. Show me, Grandfather…and I will finish what you started.” He was Kylo Ren. He was Kylo Ren. This was what he was meant to do. What he dreamed of doing, and he’d do it. Hux was working on getting the weapon ready. That would be a start, the first step he needed to accomplish what needed to be done. 

He heard the door open and whipped up from his seat to look at who was there. Dameron came in, looking surprised to see him there. His sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, the muscles in his forearms out for all to see. 

“Ben? Are you—”

“How many times do I have to tell you?!” He growled, flicking a hand out toward the crate. The door slammed open immediately, rattling the entire thing. Poe’s mouth opened, but Ren wouldn’t let him talk. Not today. “Get in there, Dameron, or so help me I will make _sure_ that your droid is destroyed by every means possible.”

Poe barely hesitated, scrambling into the cage, eyes wide and on Ren. He closed the door and locked it with a flick of the force. 

“Do you know where BB-8 is?”

“Don’t act like that. I know you already know.” The venom is his voice was clear, and it shook with every word he spoke. 

“I just—”

“WELL DON’T!” He reached for his saber, which Poe flinched away from as he grabbed it. He hadn’t intended on using it on Poe, but he gained a sense of satisfaction that he could scare him with it. Just for measure, he flicked it on as he exited the room. A couple of stormtroopers nearby hesitated when they saw him, but he gestured for them to follow him down the hall. “Get General Hux. I’m ready for this weapon. Enough waiting.”


End file.
